


The Fuck You Bouquet

by Thatoneloser_kid



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, flower show au, fuck you bouquet au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 14:58:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14771846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatoneloser_kid/pseuds/Thatoneloser_kid
Summary: It had been a relatively quiet morning, the Valentine’s Day rush had just finished and Tilly was enjoying the peace.At least until the door was thrown open and a girl stormed in."I need help finding something that says fuck you," she said, and Tilly just blinked at her for a few seconds."Uh, you want to say fuck you with... flowers?" Tilly questioned unsurely.





	The Fuck You Bouquet

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you want me to continue this, and if you have any prompts hit me up on timber 'thatoneloser-kid.tumblr.com'

Tilly’s mother had laughed when she said she wanted to open a florist, which she had expected from an abusive woman with an alcohol problem. But it was what she wanted to do, so she did. 

 

The florist started out small, working from her back yard, then gained more traction and got more costumers to the point she ended up opening a shop and moving out, away from her mother. 

 

It had been a relatively quiet morning, the Valentine’s Day rush had just finished and Tilly was enjoying the peace. 

 

At least until the door was thrown open and a girl stormed in.  

 

"I need help finding something that says fuck you," she said, and Tilly just blinked at her for a few seconds.

 

"Uh, you want to say fuck you with... flowers?" Tilly questioned unsurely. 

 

“Yes,” the girl nodded. “She knows all about flowers, she will know exactly what I’m trying to say.”

 

“Okay, well, can you tell me what she did? Maybe I can help you.”

 

“She made out like I was crazy for suspecting her of cheating then I caught her in bed with my teacher.”

 

“Oh,” Tilly’s eyes widened, which seemed to amuse the girl because the corner of her mouth twitched into a smile. “Well, let’s start with yellow carnations, they signify disappointment.”

 

“Great start,” Tilly lead the girl over to the wall of flowers, plucking some carnations from the bucket before slowly dandering along, the woman right behind her. 

 

“Maybe some orange lilies, hatred.” Tilly grabbed a few, adding them to the carnations. 

 

“Okay,”

 

“Foxglove, insincerity.”

 

“Perfect.”

 

“Geraniums, stupidity.”

 

“Stupidity?” The woman frowned. 

 

“Well, yeah,” Tilly shrugged. “Cheating on you, she would have to be stupid.”

 

“Is that right?” the girl was grinning, almost smug, and Tilly felt her ears heat up.

 

“I think this is the perfect ‘fuck you’ bouquet.” Tilly turned to the woman. “I just need to arrange them.”

 

“No need,” the woman assured, handing Tilly a handful of notes. “Keep the change.”

 

“Are you okay?” Tilly asked as the woman rushed to leave the shop. “Like, you’re here buying there flowers, and you seem okay, but your girlfriend just cheated on you and-“ Tilly shrugged. “I don’t know, that’s hard, I suppose.”

 

The woman nodded, turning back to Tilly. “I think I need to get the pettiness out then I can grieve properly.”

 

Tilly nodded, offering the woman a little smile as she motioned to the flowers. “Well, if that’s the case, coat the stems in vandal grease, stained everything.”

 

The woman grinned at her, pointing over at her. “I like how you think, flower girl.”

 

“Good luck,”

 

The woman nodded, back peddling toward the door. “You’ll have to tell me how you know what vandal grease does some time.”

 

“And you will have to let me know how your girlfriend reacts.”

 

“Ex,” She corrected. “And I will.”

 

The woman left then, with a soft smile and little wave, leaving a giddy Tilly in her wake. 

 

Tilly fussed around the show until Sabine appeared, frowning at the smiling girl. “What’s got you all smiley?”

 

“What? I’m not all smiley.” Tilly shot back, and she couldn’t even force the smile of her face for that. “No more than usual.”

 

“Whatever you say,” Sabine laughed, obviously not believing Tilly for a second. 

 

She and Sabine worked on arrangements that were due to be picked up or sent out , and Tilly knew her happy humming was obnoxious but she just couldn’t stop herself. 

 

Sabine, at least, didn’t seemed to mind. 

 

—

 

The woman came back in on one of Tilly’s very few days off. 

 

Tilly was still in her pyjamas, sitting on her balcony with hot tea and toast when Sabine texted her. 

 

**Sabine [11:35]: a girl came in**

**[11:35]: She asked for you, I offered to help but she said you helped her out a few days ago**

**[11:36]: she wanted to let you know how it went**

**[11:36]: is she the reason for giddy Tilly?**

 

Tilly had mixed emotions, on one had she had missed this girl coming back, but on the other hand she came back, meaning she probably would again, and that she actually remembered Tilly long enough to come back. 

 

_Tilly [11:38]: I helped her pick out a ‘fuck you’ bouquet for her ex girlfriend_

_[11:39]: She said she would come back and let me know how it went_

 

**Sabine [11:40]: She said she would try another time**

**[11:41]: she looked bummed that you weren’t in**

**[11:41]: she’s cute**

 

_Tilly [11:42]: Yeah, she is_

 

Tilly was off the next two times the girl came in, catching Jac the next time, who texted Tilly telling her she had been in and that the girl was cute. The second time she caught Sabine again, who told her exactly when Tilly would be in over the next week. 

 

She came back the following day. 

 

Tilly was so focused on the funeral arrangement she was making that she just barely heard the door chime, and she didn’t bother looking up. 

 

“I’ll be right with you,” she said, focused entirely on the reef. 

 

“No rush,”

 

Tilly recognised the voice right away, her finger slipping and the pin her was using pierced her finger. 

 

Tilly yelped, bringing her finger to her mouth to suck away the blood. 

 

“Shit, are you okay?” The woman asked, rushing over to Tilly’s work station.  

 

“Yeah, it’s just a nick.” Tilly assured, offering the girl a smile around her finger. “Hi,”

 

“Hi,” she replied, a little grin pulling on her lips. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me, Flower Girl.”

 

“Of course not, you just picked the few days off that I get to come in.”

 

“The girls I met before said you own this place.” The woman said. “Also that you’re single and didn’t have a particular preference in who you date.”

 

Tilly sighed, shaking her head at her friends. “I’m sorry, they are insufferable sometimes. Not that they were lying, I am single, and I don’t care if I date a boy or a girl or anyone on that spectrum. I just don’t know why they would tell you.” Tilly rambled, fidgeting with the tip of her ear nervously. “I wouldn’t imagine you cared.”

 

“I don’t know,” the girl shrugged, grinning crookedly. “I think it’s good information to have.”

 

A slow smiled pulled on Tilly’s lips at those words. “You do?”

 

The girl nodded. “I’m Margot, by the way.”

 

“Oh, I’m-“

 

“Tilly,” Margot interrupted. “Your friends told me. Tilly Gardener. They even gave me your number,” Margot held up a piece of paper in between two fingers before offering it to Tilly. “I wasn’t sure if that’s what you would want so I didn’t save it or anything.

 

“Would you use it?” Tilly asked, accepting the paper from Margot.

 

“I think I would,”

 

"So keep it," Tilly offered the piece of paper back to Margot, their fingers touching at she went to take it. She lingered their, and Tilly let it happen, even stretching her fingers out to touch her more. 

 

Margot smiled at her, the same bashful smile Tilly was probably wearing. 

 

The door chiming made both of them quickly withdraw their hands like they had been doing something wrong. 

 

“That subway system is a nightmare, you’re lucky you live within-“ Sabine trailed off when she realised Tilly wasn’t in the shop alone; a little grin pulling on her lips. “Oh, it’s you.”

 

Margot offered Sabine a little wave. 

 

“Well, don’t you two look guilty.”

 

“Sabine,” Tilly sighed. 

 

“I can take over from here, Til, go get a coffee or something.”

 

“Actually, I need to get going.” Margot admitted regretfully. “I have class.”

 

“Oh, okay,” Tilly managed to pulled a smile on her face, but she knew Sabine could tell she was bummed out. 

 

“I’ll see you soon, Flower Girl.” Margot held up the piece of paper before tucking it in her breast pocket. 

 

“I hope so,” Tilly chirped, beaming at Margot, who smiled right back at her. 

 

“I hope so,” Sabine mocked once Margot had left, smirking at Tilly. “You got it bad.”

 

“What? No. No, we’re friends. She just broke up with her girlfriend.” Tilly scoffed. 

 

“Can you feel the love tonight,” Sabine sung, and Tilly huffed, glaring at her friend when she threw her arm over her shoulder and continued to sing. 

 

Sabine only stopped when the door opened and Margot walked back in, halting at the door at the sight of Sabine hanging over Tilly as Tilly pouted. Margot smiled. “I just realised I never told you how it went.”

 

“You’re going to be late for class,” Tilly pointed out, shoving her best friend off of her. 

 

“I know, I just-“ Margot shook her head. “Are you in tonight? About seven?”

 

“I will be, we close at eight.”

 

“Cool, I’ll stop by then. I could even bring food, do you like subway?” Margot asked. 

 

“I do, chicken tikka.”

 

Margot smiled, turning her eyes to Sabine, who held her hands up and shook her head. “As much as I want to hear about the infamous fuck you bouquet I will be making myself scarce.”

 

“Sabine,” Tilly growled. “You are the worst unauthorised wingman.”

 

Margot laughed at that, “I will see you tonight, Tilly.”

 

“Enjoy class,” Tilly smiled, waving at Margot. 

 

Her smile dropped when she turned to glare at Sabine. “You are the worst.”

 

“Hey, you have a date with the pretty, spiteful girl.”

 

“She just got her heart broken, Sabine!”

 

“So be there to pick up the pieces.” Sabine grinned, dancing away when Tilly growled at her. “And I got an early night out of it.”

 

Tilly rolled her eyes at her best friend.

 

Sabine stuck to her word, disappeared five minutes before seven with a little grin (she managed to get all of her work done anyway, so Tilly wasn’t left picking up any slack).  

 

Tilly was busy taking inventory when the door chimed. Tilly glanced over her shoulder, offering Margot a soft smile. “Hey, I’ll be right with you, I need to finish taking inventory.”

 

“No rush, I’m yours until you kick me out.” Margot strolled over to the desk, setting the bag of food down. “Can I help?”

 

“No. No, that’s okay. It’s my job.”

 

“And I’m offering to make it earlier.” Margot smiled, coming up alongside Tilly. “How about I count?”

 

“Thank you,”

 

Margot went along the row, counting the flowers and telling Tilly the numbers, then asked the meaning behind the flowers. 

 

Margot seemed genuinely interested as Tilly explained everything she knew of the flower she was asking about, which is more than she could say about anyone she ever dated. 

 

“Purple hyacinth,” Margot hummed. “Twenty one.”

 

“Twenty one,” Tilly repeated, jotting down the number. “These got their origin from mythology, Apollo and Hyacinthus, the former accidentally killing the latter. They mean please forgive me.”

 

“Huh,” Margot nodded, moving to the next bucket. “You know much about mythology? Or is it just the flowery bits?”

 

“I’ve read a lot about Greek, Norse and Celtic.”

 

Margot hummed as she counted, “Seventeen. Which is your favourite?”

 

“I love them all.” Tilly admitted, jotting down the number. “But the creatures in Celtic mythology win me over. Banshees? One of my favourite.”

 

“I would never have pegged as a fan of creepy kind of stories.”

 

“What? Does the dainty little flower shop make me look soft?” Tilly smirked teasingly at Margot, who rolled her eyes. 

 

“So I made assumptions, I bet you did, too.”

 

“Mm, passive aggressive.”

 

Margot opened her mouth, as if to argue, but closed it again. “Okay so some of us are better at assuming that others.”

 

Tilly laughed quietly as Margot turned back to the buckets. 

 

“So tell me about these banshees then. I know very little,” Margot requested. “Twenty six.”

 

“Well, they are Irish spirits who predict the death of a person. If you see this woman washing bloody clothes in the river, or hear her wailing or crying, then you’re going to die.”

 

“So, she’s an omen of death?”

 

“Yeah, basically. But she isn’t the cause, she just warns.” Tilly explained, resting her shoulder against the shelf beside Margot, taking inventory completely forgotten. “They were originally fairies who sang for recently deceased members of families. Is was translating the original text from Irish to English that changed it into what it is now.”

 

“So, originally she was a harmless fairy who sang at funerals?” Margot asked, leaning against the shelf like Tilly was, much closer than Tilly had expected. 

 

“Exactly. You find that with a lot of translated old text, we mess up and completely change a creature or person.”

 

Margot was staring at her, a soft smile on her lips as she nodded. “My personal favourite is the story of Torin and Keelycael.”

 

“Death and the red Queen?”

 

“Yeah. She initially set out to punish him, but after a game of cat and mouse they realised they were perfect for each other.”

 

“It’s hard to find a good love story in mythology,” Tilly said. “They are epic but all so flawed. Take Zal and Rudebeh; he only knew of her through stories and creeped around outside her window, then, when she was sick during labour, he threw his father into a fire to protect her.” Tilly shook her head. “Bonkers.”

 

“Yeah,” Margot sighed, pushing herself off the shelf and moving to the next bucket. “It’s all so straight, too. I’m telling you, history wasn’t as straight as they want us to think.”

 

“True, Achilles and Apollo are know to have had relationships with men.”

 

“Poseidon, Hermes, Heracles, even Zeus,” Margot said. “Well, Zeus would fuck anything so he’s not a good example.”

 

Tilly laughed at that, and Margot seemed to preen at the fact she got Tilly to laugh. “How about we finish this and finish this conversation over dinner?”

 

“Sounds good.” Tilly nodded. 

 

They had finished taking inventory after about five minutes, settling at the front desk. 

 

They kept talking about mythology as they finished their sandwiches, changing to the outcome of the ‘fuck you’ bouquet as they tucked into their cookie. 

 

“So?” Tilly asked, taking a bite out of the cookie. “How did the bouquet go?”

 

“About as well as you would probably think. She texted me telling me I was childish and immature and that this was the reason we weren’t together anymore.” Margot laughed. “And here was me thinking we broke up because she fucked my teacher.”

 

“Have you seen the teacher again since?”

 

“Yeah, a few times. The first time he pulled me aside and apologised.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

“That I didn’t want any kind of special treatment because she felt guilty. It wasn’t her fault, you know? She didn’t know Ivy was my girlfriend.” Margot shrugged. “It hasn’t really been awkward since. But Ivy did send me a photo of her sofa and table, stained with vandal grease.” Margot grinned. “Good idea there, Flower Girl.”

 

“Are you okay? Like, really. You’ve put on a smile when you’re in here but this can’t be easy.”

 

“It is kind of easy to smile on here,” Margot admitted. 

 

“Truth?”

 

“That is the truth. But I’m not really upset about the breakup, I was holding on to something that didn’t make me happy anymore just because I was comfortable.” Margot shrugged, breaking off a piece of her cookie and placing it in her mouth. 

 

“And how are you feeling without her?” 

 

“Happier,” Margot admitted. “I’m just out of sorts, Ivy was a huge part of my life since sophomore year of high school. I guess it’s just hard waking up without her in my life.”

 

“Do you miss her?”

 

“Not her, per se, I miss the memories, and who she was, but not who she is now. That’s not the woman I loved.” Margot admitted. “Her mother came back into the picture and she just changed. I didn’t love her anymore.”

 

“That sucks, I’m sorry.”

 

“I’m just, I dunno- humiliated I guess? The way it ended, it made me look foolish.”

 

“No, not at all. It makes her look foolish, she is the one who cheated on someone, that is never excusable.” Tilly said. “And you handled it with poise, for the most part. She looks stupid, giving up her chance with you.”

 

Margot looked up at her through her eyelashes, chewing on a piece of cookie. “You think?

 

“Yeah, of course. You were together for a long time. And you seem great, pretty, nice eyes, cute smile, you know?” Tilly babbled, she could feel her cheeks heat up but she couldn’t stop herself. “And you’re nice, you helped me out when you didn’t have too, and brought me dinner, I haven’t really eaten all day, and - please say something because I think I will keep babbling until you do.”

 

Margot laughed, her own cheeks a little pink. 

 

“Pretty laugh,”

 

“You’re cute,” Margot interrupted with a bashful smile, leaning over the counter, a little closer to Tilly. “And don’t think you’re getting away with telling me how you know what vandal grease does.”

 

Tilly laughed, mostly in relief that the girl didn’t tease her. “I was an adventurous kid!”

 

“Mhm,” Margot hummed, a little grin on her lips as she leant back on her chair. “Spill.”

 

Margot wasn't expect the actual explanation she got. 

 

“My mum didn’t like me going out, so I used to sneak out, even after she locked my windows, I found a way. Once she realised she couldn’t stop me she started putting vandal grease all over the windowsill in the house so she would know when I left and could punish me.” Tilly explained, a little too nonchalantly for Margot’s liking. 

 

“Wait, your mother kept you locked away?” She questioned in disbelief. 

 

“She tried,” Tilly grinned smugly. “I was too smart for her.”

 

“Tilly, you know that’s not okay, right?” Margot frowned. “Where was your father in all this?”

 

“Mum said pops left when he found out she was pregnant. I’m not sure if I believe her, but every time I ask about him she says he was a scumbag.” Tilly shrugged. 

 

“That sucks,” Margot sighed. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s fine, I’m sure I will find him eventually.” Tilly said, and Margot couldn’t help but smile at her optimism. “What about you? How was your childhood.”

 

“Okay, I lived on farm so there wasn’t many people around, I was mostly left with myself, my imagination and my bow.” Margot said. “Lived with my mother, over protective but she loved me. My father died when I was a baby, left my aunt to look after his kid he had with another woman.”

 

“Your aunt?”

 

“Yeah,” Margot laughed. “That’s complicated. So, my father, Robin, had a kid with a woman called Marian, she died. Then he had me with my mother in a one night stand but he was in love with my aunt. Regina took Roland in after he died.”

 

“Wow, okay.” Tilly laughed. “Are you close with your brother?”

 

“I am, we didn’t meet until I was thirteen and he was sixteen. But he told me all about my father and we practiced archery together.” Margot said. “Do you have any siblings?”

 

“Not unless my dad had any children.”

 

They talked well into the night, tucking into Tilly’s secret stash of snacks she kept hidden from Sabine and Jac.

 

It wasn’t until Margot’s phone buzzed and she glanced quick at it that she realised it was just past two. “Shit, Henry is probably worried sick.”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s after two,” Margot explained. “My cousin Henry just texted asking if I was okay and if I was staying out.”

 

“Oh,” Tilly frowned, it defiantly didn’t seem like seven hours had past since Margot arrived. “I have an early shift tomorrow, we should probably get home.”

 

“I have an early class, too.”

 

The packed up the trash, Tilly dropping it in the bin outside before locking up, Margot lingering there as she done so. 

 

“Can I walk you home?” Tilly asked, pulling her jacket a little tighter around her. 

 

“I’m not far,” Margot said, more out of politeness than the fact she didn’t want Tilly to walk her. 

 

“I just-“ Tilly shrugged, ducking her head as she toed at a stone by her feet. “I guess I don’t want this to be over yet.”

 

Margot beamed at that, averting her eyes as she tried to control her smile. “I would love it if you walked me home.”

 

Tilly nodded, bouncing on her toes slightly. 

 

Something Margot noticed about Tilly as they walked was that even after being up for well over fifteen hours, and working all day, she still bounced as she walked, her hands swinging around animatedly as she spoke about the shop, and her friends.

 

“This is me,” Margot said as they came to a stop outside a block of student flats. “Thank you, for today, for walking me home. For letting me vent.”

 

“Anytime,” Tilly promised. “You can stop in whenever you want.”

 

“I might just hold you to that,”

 

Tilly sucked her bottom lip into her mouth in an attempt to hide her smile, she knew it probably didn’t do much good. 

 

Margot didn’t even bother hiding her smile, lifting giddily onto her toes as she ducked her head. “Goodnight, Flower Girl.”

 

“Goodnight,”

 

Margot lingered there for a few seconds, seeming like she was having some sort of internal batter with herself before she squared her shoulders and took a step forward, placing a kiss on Tilly’s cheek. 

 

“I’ll see you soon,”

 

Tilly giggled, ducking her head. “Can’t wait.”

 

Tilly waited until Margot was inside her building before turning to walk to few blocks back to her place, a spring in her step as she walked. 


End file.
